Kate Bradshaw writes a popular "Dear Cupid" Web advice column, but finds it difficult to offer positive advice after her painful divorce. She would like to tell every reader to "dump the bastard and move on." Not exactly the kind of pithy advice her boss wants her to give.
In an attempt to regain the perspective that made her column popular, Kate leaves her native Texas hill country for a business trip to L.A., where she practices her flirting technique on the first attractive man she sees, movie special-effects man Mike Cameron. If she can successfully get his attention, maybe she can start believing that she has what it takes to offer advice to the lovelorn.
While I found that set-up a bit of a stretch, I hung in with the story and I'm glad I did. It was a pleasant read, and the interplay between Mike and Kate's son, Dylan is truly engaging. Mikes persistent, yet gentle efforts to get Kate to trust herself and trust in love again, was equally engaging. He is definitely a different kind of hero, but no less a hero than any other good romance novel.
Dear Cupid was first published in hardback and mass market paperback in 2001 by St. Martin's, and the author released the e-book this past June. Right now it is available for only 99cents.
~~~~~~~~~~~
FTC Disclaimer: I purchased and reviewed this book of my own free will. I was not compensated in any way for the review, and I am guessing the author does not even know I did it. Even though I am not normally a fan of romance novels, I decided to give this one a read because I met the author online and I was impressed with her writing in posts to groups and her blog. (Authors, the quality of your writing everywhere does matter.) I was also influenced by the price. For 99cents, I thought I would take a chance. Does that mean I would only buy another book from this author if it was priced that low? No. I will probably buy one of her other books once I have read a few of the other ones I have loaded in my Kindle.
NOTE: I wish the author would change her last name to Smith so I knew how to pronounce it.
Showing posts with label Classic Romance Revival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Classic Romance Revival. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Contest- Win books and more
Here's what it's about. The following authors have graciously elected to participate in the hunt and offer prizes:
MARION WEB De SISTO
JACQUIE ROGERS
NICOLE ZOLTACK
DANIELLE THORNE
STEPHANIE BURKHART
JAMIE HILL
LINDA BANCHE
ELAINE CANTREL
MARYANN MILLER
JANE TOOMBS
LIANA LAVERENTZ
If you want to play, go to the CRR Web site and visit the BLOG where you'll see a list of clues which will be related to the authors listed above. Using the clue, "hunt" down the answer and remember to record the URL of where you found the answer to the clue questions and what the answer is.
Details of how to submit your answer are there on the blog along with the clues and a list of prizes. Have fun and good luck.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Guest Post - Author Barri Bryan
Please help me welcome Barri Bryan as she shares about... Images and Imagination
I'm often asked where the inspiration came from for books I've written. Most of the time I can pinpoint a specific circumstance or event that inspired me. Occasionally I can't. My inspiration for A Second Splendor is one of those rare occasions. Spontaneous and fanciful thoughts about writing a book with 'true love never dies' as its theme had been running around in my head and images were troubling my imagination for a long time before I began to put those thoughts and images together in some meaningful combination.
When I did it was more a result of desperation than it was inspiration. To paraphrase Montaigne, I was treating my imagination gently by trying to relieve it of all trouble and conflict. As I sorted through ideas for characters in my little drama, quite suddenly reality collided with my subjective inner world of impressions and feelings. My hero and heroine must be very young at the onset of the story-in high school maybe? I forgot my struggle to put life and substance to my characters as my plot began to unravel inside my head. I would write about a teenage bride. That shouldn't be hard for me to do since I had once been a teenage bride. My imagination took flight and I began to make my outline. Almost immediately I had second thoughts. I was incorporating into my plot a very controversial subject. After arguing with myself through a long morning, I decided to pursue this plot line anyway.
Later when I tried to write character sketches of my hero and heroine, I ran into a brick wall, leading me to decide that imagination can be both a blessing and a curse. I laid my work aside and forgot it for several weeks. Then one evening, as I read these lines from a poem by John Wilmot:
"If I, by miracle can be
This livelong minute true to thee,
'Tis all that heave allows.
My fickle imagination returned with a vengeance. My heroine must be complex yet straightforward, wise and at the same time foolish. How would I reconcile those disparities? My hero must be strong and at the same time be considerate and kind. It would be challenging to make a man who did some of the things this man did, seem a hero. I had my work cut out for me.
Once more I was writing A Second Splendor. What did any of this have to do with the poem I had been reading? Nothing, except those lines succeeded in kicking my imagination into overdrive. How? I don't know. Who can explain how imagination operates?
From conception to completion, I struggled with this book as I have no other. It defied so many of my unwritten rules for writing. Maybe that's why it holds such a special place in my heart.
We have a wonderful line-up of blogs to visit, and three arc copies of A Second Splendor will be given to three lucky people drawn from those commenting on the blogs! Click on the blog name below to read and comment and stand a chance to win – make sure you visit on the right day!
A Second Splendor is available HERE
9 August – Lovestruck Novice
13 August – Nicole Zoltack
15 August – Maryann Miller’s It’s Not All Gravy
17 August – Linda Banche
19 August – Maggi Andersen
21 August – Steph Burkhart
25 August – Liana Laverentz
Blurb:
Julie Anderson is not happy that her ex-husband is coming home to attend their daughter’s wedding. Max has broken her heart in the past – not once, but twice. Thank goodness she’s too wise to fall under his spell again, or is she?
Max Anderson has some reservations about his daughter’s coming marriage to the son of his ex wife’s business partner. He shows up early and walks into a situation that begs him to intervene. When he does all hell breaks loose.
Have fun everyone!
I'm often asked where the inspiration came from for books I've written. Most of the time I can pinpoint a specific circumstance or event that inspired me. Occasionally I can't. My inspiration for A Second Splendor is one of those rare occasions. Spontaneous and fanciful thoughts about writing a book with 'true love never dies' as its theme had been running around in my head and images were troubling my imagination for a long time before I began to put those thoughts and images together in some meaningful combination.
When I did it was more a result of desperation than it was inspiration. To paraphrase Montaigne, I was treating my imagination gently by trying to relieve it of all trouble and conflict. As I sorted through ideas for characters in my little drama, quite suddenly reality collided with my subjective inner world of impressions and feelings. My hero and heroine must be very young at the onset of the story-in high school maybe? I forgot my struggle to put life and substance to my characters as my plot began to unravel inside my head. I would write about a teenage bride. That shouldn't be hard for me to do since I had once been a teenage bride. My imagination took flight and I began to make my outline. Almost immediately I had second thoughts. I was incorporating into my plot a very controversial subject. After arguing with myself through a long morning, I decided to pursue this plot line anyway.
Later when I tried to write character sketches of my hero and heroine, I ran into a brick wall, leading me to decide that imagination can be both a blessing and a curse. I laid my work aside and forgot it for several weeks. Then one evening, as I read these lines from a poem by John Wilmot:
"If I, by miracle can be
This livelong minute true to thee,
'Tis all that heave allows.
My fickle imagination returned with a vengeance. My heroine must be complex yet straightforward, wise and at the same time foolish. How would I reconcile those disparities? My hero must be strong and at the same time be considerate and kind. It would be challenging to make a man who did some of the things this man did, seem a hero. I had my work cut out for me.
Once more I was writing A Second Splendor. What did any of this have to do with the poem I had been reading? Nothing, except those lines succeeded in kicking my imagination into overdrive. How? I don't know. Who can explain how imagination operates?
From conception to completion, I struggled with this book as I have no other. It defied so many of my unwritten rules for writing. Maybe that's why it holds such a special place in my heart.
---------
CRR Mini Blog Tour!
CRR is delighted to host CRR Publishing and author Barri Bryan in a mini-blog tour to celebrate the release of A Second Splendor!We have a wonderful line-up of blogs to visit, and three arc copies of A Second Splendor will be given to three lucky people drawn from those commenting on the blogs! Click on the blog name below to read and comment and stand a chance to win – make sure you visit on the right day!
A Second Splendor is available HERE
9 August – Lovestruck Novice
13 August – Nicole Zoltack
15 August – Maryann Miller’s It’s Not All Gravy
17 August – Linda Banche
19 August – Maggi Andersen
21 August – Steph Burkhart
25 August – Liana Laverentz
Blurb:
Julie Anderson is not happy that her ex-husband is coming home to attend their daughter’s wedding. Max has broken her heart in the past – not once, but twice. Thank goodness she’s too wise to fall under his spell again, or is she?
Max Anderson has some reservations about his daughter’s coming marriage to the son of his ex wife’s business partner. He shows up early and walks into a situation that begs him to intervene. When he does all hell breaks loose.
Have fun everyone!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Guest Blogger Tomorrow
Romance author, Barri Bryan is on a mini-blog tour for her latest book from Classic Romance Revival, and will be here tomorrow to share a bit about Images and Imagination. Come back and help me welcome Barri to It's Not All Gravy...
CRR Mini Blog Tour!
CRR is delighted to host CRR Publishing and author Barri Bryan in a mini-blog tour to celebrate the release of A Second Splendor!We have a wonderful line-up of blogs to visit, and three arc copies of A Second Splendor will be given to three lucky people drawn from those commenting on the blogs! Click on the blog name below to read and comment and stand a chance to win – make sure you visit on the right day!
A Second Splendor is available HERE
9 August – Lovestruck Novice
13 August – Nicole Zoltack
15 August – Maryann Miller’s It’s Not All Gravy
17 August – Linda Banche
19 August – Maggi Andersen
21 August – Steph Burkhart
25 August – Liana Laverentz
Blurb:
Julie Anderson is not happy that her ex-husband is coming home to attend their daughter’s wedding. Max has broken her heart in the past – not once, but twice. Thank goodness she’s too wise to fall under his spell again, or is she?
Max Anderson has some reservations about his daughter’s coming marriage to the son of his ex wife’s business partner. He shows up early and walks into a situation that begs him to intervene. When he does all hell breaks loose.
Have fun everyone!
Friday, July 02, 2010
Exciting News
I just received a message informing me that the cover for my book, PLAY IT AGAIN SAM has won the June Classic Cover Contest at the ClassicRomanceRevival Web site.
As the site name implies, it promotes novels of the more classic romance style in varying degrees of "sweet" "sexy" and "sensual." The authors affiliated with that site write the kinds of books that were popular when romances first took publishing by storm.
Winning this is a thrill, and I am glad that the book will get some extra exposure because of the win. It is a special story about love the second time around and was inspired by what happened to a good friend when her husband of 25 years decided he didn't want to be married anymore.
However, I am even more excited for my daughter, Dany Russell, who designed the cover. This win is as much for her as it is for me. Actually, probably more, since it is her work being honored. I am so happy for her.
http://www.
As the site name implies, it promotes novels of the more classic romance style in varying degrees of "sweet" "sexy" and "sensual." The authors affiliated with that site write the kinds of books that were popular when romances first took publishing by storm.
Winning this is a thrill, and I am glad that the book will get some extra exposure because of the win. It is a special story about love the second time around and was inspired by what happened to a good friend when her husband of 25 years decided he didn't want to be married anymore.
However, I am even more excited for my daughter, Dany Russell, who designed the cover. This win is as much for her as it is for me. Actually, probably more, since it is her work being honored. I am so happy for her.
http://www.
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